Top 10 Profitable Spices to Grow

I want to share with you the top 10 profitable spices to grow for your farm. But first, let me share what the most expensive spices that you can buy are.

The most expensive spices in the world are considered to be Saffron, Cardamom and Pure Vanilla beans. Saffron being the most expensive due to high labor cost.

Saffron sell for approximately $1,000 per pound!

Cardamon sells for $60 per pound in the pod, but $100 per pound ground up.

Then the third most costly spice that I could find is Pure Vanilla Beans. Pure vanilla will sell between $50 and $200 per pound.

That is just the bean! Even though these spices are the most expensive does not mean that they will be profitable for you to grow. They are labor intensive to harvest and where would you sell them?

One of my trusted sources for finding profitable spices to grow

I have shared how the top 10 profitable spices to grow for profitable small scale farming is an important part of growing. I read articles by Craig Wallin quite a bit. His website is Profitable Plants.com I have also grown many of the herbs and spices that he shares. I wanted to share his views of the ten most profitable spices to grow, because they are my pick also. Except for catnip, I am sure that it is great, but I am a bit of a dog lover. I have a mental block about catnip. All the rest I use and grow myself. Thank you Craig for your article!

1. Basil. Basil tops the list at number on of the top 10 profitable spices to grow. Basil is a very tender plant and should be kept indoors until there is no danger of frost. Growing basil starts in plug trays can work great for basil. Expect to be selling lots of these, so keep the fresh plants coming.

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2. Chives. Standard chives are a steady seller. These will start to germinate after a week or so. And unlike basil, these can actually do quite well in cooler weather.

3. Cilantro. Cilantro is another popular culinary herb. In addition to its cooking values, it also has many other ones. It is particularly good for digestion and other medicinal values. Expect to sell lots of this at the Saturday farmer’s market.

4. Oregano. Oregano is one of the most popular herbs that you’ll find in Italian cooking. Unforgettable taste and aroma give this herb its main appeal. Oregano is a commonly used garnish for stews, soups, and gravies.

5. Parsley. Parsley is so popular it even has historical significance. The ancient Greeks used it at the athletic games, weaving it into victory crowns. They also fed it to their horses to make them run faster.

6. Catnip. Catnip is commonly used for cats, but can also be a soothing sedative for humans. It has been known to provide pain and stress relief and to also help with flu and cold symptoms.

7. Chamomile. Chamomile can make for a nice, soothing tea. It also has medicinal values, such as a digestive, sleep, and calming aid. Plus it’s very easy to grow!

8. Lavender. Lavender has so many uses it’s been called the “Swiss army knife” of herbs. The medicinal values include usefulness for skin care, women and children’s health, pain relief and nervous system conditions. The essential oil that is found in lavender is one of the top ten in the fragrance industry.

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9. Marsh mallow. This herb has many medicinal values, such as being good for coughs and bronchitis, the digestive tract, and several skin conditions.

10. St John’s wort. St John’s wort is highly known as a mood-boosting substance, but it has many other values too. It is particularly useful for cold and flu prevention, immune support, and skin treatment. The healing ingredient in St John’s wort is called hypericin and is found in the top of the plant.

These are just a few of many profitable herbs to grow. Given the right care, these herbs can grow into something that will bring joy to your customers and put money in the bank.

When deciding which of the top 10 profitable spices to grow, ask yourself these questions:

What will it cost your to grow these spices and herbs?

Who is your customer?

What price will you be able to sell them for?

Can you pre-sell your spices and herbs?

Do you have restaurants, schools or other businesses in your network?

One of the best ways to start growing a new crop, is to pre-sell your top 10 profitable spices to grow by using Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). The other way is to start small an grow your business like you do your crops. The Food4Wealth Program makes life easier for starting spices to grow for profitable small scale farming. There is less work to get started and less daily maintenance. I invite you to check it out.

Hey Chris- I am starting some of my herbs this week and am pleased to see most of my herbs are on this list! Do you find that people at Farmer's Markets prefer fresh or dried or both? I planned on drying them and selling that way but I guess why not sell fresh too :)

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